The east end of London is already benefiting from the capital’s successful Olympic bid. Rightmove’s monthly survey of asking prices shows that house prices in Tower Hamlets and Newham, two of the boroughs that will play host to the games, had some of the largest gains in London last month. The average asking price in Tower Hamlets rose by 4.6% in the four weeks to October 8, compared to the previous four-week period. Prices in Newham increased by 3.1% in the same period. The Rightmove figures also show a 0.5% rise in the average UK asking price. The website’s commercial director Miles Shipside said: “We appear to have had a soft landing. However, don’t expect the market to take off again until a refuelling by more first time buyers, lower mortgage rates, and a continuation of realistic pricing by sellers and their estate agents.” (The Times)